Metering block nozzle



April 12, 1966 T. R. THOMAS 3,245,621

METERING BLOCK NOZZLE Original Filed April 50, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1/ f6 jj' V N p A 5 65 66 .19 2

59 0o 0 o E I .l D 15 6017592 076 1 F D G A A2,! p K y? M J INVENTOR ATTORNEYS surizing device.

United States Patent 3,245,621 METERING BLOCK NOZZLE Thomas R. Thomas, New York, N.Y., assignor to Auto Research Corporation, Dover, Dcl., a corporation of Delaware Original application Apr. 30, 1958, Ser. No. 731,908, now Patent No. 3,106,346, dated Oct. 8, 1963. Divided and this application Mar. 11, 1963, Ser. No. 264,441 Claims. (Cl. 239424) The present application is a division of application Serial No. 731,908, filed April 30, 1958, now Patent No. 3,106,346, and is particularly directed to the unit of FIG. 7 as an outlet and to the system employing the same.

The present invention relates to a system for distributinglubricant or oil to chains, gears, and other machine parts, but it is particularly designed for the application of coolants to cutting and grinding operations.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a simple, inexpensive, reliable distribution system of oil for application to chains, gears, and other machine parts or for application of coolants to cutting or grinding operations in which there will be a central source and a plurality of remote distributing outlets at the point of application of the oil or coolant.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a simple, reliable distributing system which may be readily used with nearly all types of oils regardless of viscosities and changing temperature and humidity and which is also equally adaptable to a wide variety of standard water base coolants.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a distributing system in which compressed air and liquid under'pressure will be supplied to a plurality of spaced and separated outlets for application to the machine part or cutting or grinding operation which is to receive the lubricant or coolant application.

Still further objects and advantages will appear in the more detailed description set forth below, it being understood, however, that this more detailed description is given by way of illustration and "explanation only and not by way of limitation, since Various changes therein may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

In accomplishing the above objects it is desirable to provide a simple source of both air pressure and liquid, oil or coolant with the air pressure being controlled and set at' a predetermined value and acting to exert pressure and force the liquid to be distributed through distributing lines.

This central air pressure and liquid pressure source is shown in copending application Serial No. 738,128, filed May 27, 1958, now Patent No. 3,074,510, of which the present application is particularly directed to the distrib-uting system.

The central source will normally constitute a combination air trap, air pressure reduction unit and liquid pres- This central source will include in one compact unit a moisture trap, and air filter, a pressure regulator, a pressure gauge, a solenoid valve, the liquid reservoir, a liquid filter and a junction box.

From this central control unit parallel lines or concentric lines will extend to control units which act as mixing 'valves in which the air and liquid coolant or lubricant nections to convey such jet to a unit.

The present application is particularly directed to these jet control units which take the form of relatively flat blocks, having separate inlets for the air and liquid under pressure at one side, and adjustment for the liquid at the other side and a jet outlet at the third side.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the in- 'vention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which fall Within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic layout of a central source and distributing system according to the present invention.

FIG. 1a is a diagrammatic layout of the arrangement of the central source which feeds the air under pressure as Well as the pressurized liquid to the distributing system.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a jet unit.

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the jet unit taken upon the line 33 of FIG. 2, showing the liquid flow adjustment.

FIG. 4 is an end elevational View of the jet unit of FIG. 2, taken upon the line 44 of FIG. 2, showing the spray outlet.

FIG. 4a is a transverse sectional view of the unit of FIGS. 2-4, showing the interior construction of the unit of FIGS. 2-4.

FIG. 5 is a top view of a junction unit box double T.

FIG. 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view upon the line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a transverse vertical sectional view upon the line 7-7 of'FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is an end view taken from the lines 8-8 of FIGS. 5, 6 and 7.

FIG. 9 is a side elevational layout view of the right end portion of FIG. 1, showing an extended double concentric tubul-ar connection to a remote jet projection tip.

FIG. 10 is a transverse longitudinal sectional view of left end of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a transverse longitudinal sectional view of right end of FIG. 9.

FIG. 12 is an alternative transverse longitudinal sectional view of an alternative of a concentric hose connection similar to FIG. 10, but showing a different construction' FIG. 13 is an alternative transverse longitudinal sectional view of a hose connection similar to FIG. 11.

FIG. 14 is a transverse sectional view upon line 1414 of FIG. 11.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 1a, there is shown a central source of air pressure and lubricant or coolant liquid pressure A having an inlet B for compressed air, and an outlet C for the liquid under pressure and an outlet D for the compressed air from the central unit.

The head E receives a pressure gauge F and an air filter G, an air receptacle H, a liquid filter J, a liquid receptacle K and the drain cocks or valves L and M.

The drain cocks or valves L and M allow periodic removal of water and/ or impurities which have been filtered out and deposited in the lower part of the receptacles H and K.

The central unit is also provided with a diaphragm pressure regulator N which is manually adjustable and a solenoid control valve P.

The liquid in the casing K will be under an air pressure and will be forced through the liquid outlet C under such air pressure.

The liquid will flow through the lines 10, 11, 12, 13

and 14 to and through the junctions Q and R and to the control units S, T and U.

The control unit U has a tubular extension V to the remote spray outlet nozzle W.

The air will flow through the piping or tubing connections 15, 16, 17, 18 and 26 through and to the junctions Q and R and also to the control units S, T and U.

The control units are best shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 4a.

As shown, for example, in FIG. 1, there are coupling connections indicated at 19 and 20 to the control units S, Tand U.

These control units have the tapped recesses 21 and 22 which receive the coupling connections 19 and 20 and they are provided with openings 23 for mounting upon the structure being supplied with coolant or lubricant.

The left side of the unit of FIG. 2 is provided with the liquid flow adjustment 24 which may take the form of a needle valve and will regulate the flow of liquid.

The other side of the unitof FIG. 2 has an insert 25A provided with a jet outlet 25 fromwhich the jet of lubricant, oil or coolant may be projected onto the hearing or place of cutting.

The junctions Q and R are best shown in FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8.

These junctions consist of rectangular metal blocks and they have the mounting openings 50.

Each of the junctions is provided with through passageways 51 and 52, respectively, for liquid and air, which passageways are provided with the tapped connections 53 and 54 and 55 and 56 for the compression coupling connections 57, 58 and 59, 60, respectively.

The blocks are also provided with the transverse T connections 61 and 62 terminating in the tapped openings 63 and 64 which lead to the control units S and T, as shown in FIG. 1 and which carry the compression coupling connections 65 and 66, respectively.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 8 respectively, the liquid whether it be lubricant, oil or coolant is separately conveyed from the air under pressure through the junctions Q and R and to the junction units S, T and U where it is combined to form a spray or mist which is then applied to the hearing, gear, or other machine unit or to the cutting or grinding operation, as the case may be.

The lines and 15, 11 and 16, 12 and 17, 13 andv 18 and 14 and 26 may be combined in concentric tubing connections as shown in FIGS. 9 to 13, but in the embodiment shown these concentric tubing connections are limited to the unit V shown in FIG. 1 which conveys the air and lubricant to a remote jet point.

Referring to FIG. 9 it will be noted that there is an inside connection X for the liquid and an outside or outer connection Y which are concentrically disposed and which at each end have concentric connections Z and AA, respectively, to the unit U and to the tip W.

The junction unit U has a central passageway with a needle valve 75 for the liquid and an annular passageway or chamber 76 for the air, as shown best in FIG. .10.

There is a recess 77 and a projecting nipple 78. The recess 77 receives the connection 79 which is stopped by the shouldered enlargement 80.

The connection end Z also has a threaded end portion 81 which receives a compression coupling nut 82 to crimp the double tapered coupling sleeve 83 onto the inside end 84 of the outer tubular element Y. The outer tubular element Y' encircles the inner tubular element X.

The inside end of X has an extension at 85 projecting into the recess 86 and a seal is made by the compressed rubber O ring 87 which is compressed between the end 88 of the nipple 78 and the end 89 of the connection member 90.

The connection member 90 encircles the end 85 of the central element X and it is soldered in position at 91.

The end of the outer tubular element Y is turned inwardly as indicated at 92 to fit upon the inwardly beveled portion 93 of the unit 90.

The slot 94 establishes the air connection from the chamber 76 and from the passageway 95 to the outer tube Y.

The shoulder or extension 96 will stop the unit 90 against the shoulder 91 of the body member Z.

It will be notedthat the connection as shown in FIG. 10 will enable flow of both the air and the liquid separately into the double tubular unit X-Y with the liquid flowing through the central'opening and the air flowing through the outer tubular member Y.

At the other end the concentric tubing X and Y will connect to the spray or mist jet unit W, as best shown in FIG. 11..

The mist jet unit W has an outer nozzle and an inner nozzle 111. The outer nozzle 110 has a knurled portion 112 and a threaded portion 113 which screws into the tapped extension 114 of the structure 115. .The knurling is also provided as indicated at 116.

The body 115 has the rearwardly extending sleeve 117 which fits around the outer tube 118 which is seated at the end 119 of the socket 120. The body 115 receives the central sleeve 121 through which passes the inner tube X, as indicated at 122.

There will be outer passages left at 123 for the air to flow from the outer tube Y into the chamber 124, the concentric passages 125 and 126. and into the space 127 and out through the nozzle opening 128.

The central tube X will pass from the position 122 into the sleeve 129 which extends over the interior portion 130 of the interior nozzle member 111, as indicated at 131.

The liquid will flow from the central passageway 132 through the center passageway 133 and then through the center bore 134 into the nozzle opening 128.

This will give the spray or jet of mixed air and lubricant or coolant the direction as indicated at 135 which will enable it to be sprayed or directedupon a bearing or machine element.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 12 and 13 the construction is the same and the same parts are indicated by the same numerals except that there is provided a side mount connection to receive the flexible hose 151 at the" other end- 153 of the flexible hose.

Itwill be noted that the recesses 154 and 155 receive the outer lining 156 and 157 which is held in position by the solder joints 158 and 159. g

The sinuous wall 160 and 161 will permit flexibility. The other elements are the same as already described in connection with FIGS. 10 and 11 and will give the same numerals and letters. 7

It is thus apparent that the applicant has provided a simple system for conveying oil lubricant-or coolant or other liquid together with air to near or remote places of application from a central liquid and air pressure source with assurance. that there will be satisfactory application of coolant or lubricant or oil to the machine element or to the place of grinding orcutting.

While there has been herein described a preferred form of the invention, it should be understood that the same may be altered in details and in relative arrangement of parts within the scope of the appended claims.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, what is claimed is:

1. In a double line coolant and compressed air distributionsystem, a junction metering block having parallel flat sides, a front outlet edge with an outlet nozzle, a bottom inlet edge, a top flat edge and a rear edge receiving an adjustable needle valve actuator, said bottom 2. The system of claim 1, said through bore having a tapped portion to receive a threaded adjustment and having a tapered portion adjacent the outlet nozzle to adjust the amount of coolant admitted to the nozzle.

3. The system of claim 1, said nozzle receiving an insert having a central inlet from the transverse coolant inlet bore and an annular inlet from the transverse compressed air inlet bore.

4. The system of claim 1, said through bore decreasing in diameter from the actuator to the nozzle and there being an annular recess around said bore and around said nozzle adjacent said nozzle and communicating With the compressed air inlet bore.

5. The system of claim 1, said needle valve actuator extending into a tapered reduced diameter portion of the through bore communicating with the inlet transverse liquid coolant bore and said transverse inlet com-pressed air bore opening into said nozzle beyond said liquid coolant inlet bore and closely adjacent to the outlet face of said block.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Norgren 239407 Thomas 18456 Tamminga 239407 Veres 239--42S Faust.

Harr 239418 Thomas 239424 Thomas 239-424 Thomas 239424 France.

M. HENSON WOOD, 111., Primary Examiner.

0 EVERETT W. KIRBY, Examiner. 

1. IN A DOUBLE LINE COOLANT AND COMPRESSED AIR DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM, A JUNCTION METERING BLOCK HAVING PARALLEL FLAT SIDES, A FRONT OUTLET EDGE WITH AN OUTLET NOZZLE, A BOTTOM INLET EDGE, A TOP FLAT EDGE AND A REAR EDGE RECEIVING AN ADJUSTABLE NEEDLE VALVE ACTUATOR, SAID BOTTOM EDGE HAVING INLETS FOR LIQUID COOLANT AND COMPRESSED AIR AND SAID BLOCK HAVING A THROUGH BORE FROM THE ACTUATOR TO THE OUTLET NOZZLE AND TRANSVERSE BORES FROM THE BOTTOM EDGE INLETS TO THE THROUGH BORE. 